I have worked remotely for the past two decades with a couple of short on-site exceptions. I love everything about working from home, especially not having to waste time commuting. Here's a couple of tips for the new work at home employee but also applies to subcontractors:
1. The key to a successful with at home career is to be available. When the phone rings, pick it up. Make yourself available on Slack, Zoom chat, or whatever your employer's organization uses.
2. Keep a superhuman work ethic. Don't goof off during business hours. It's not great in-office and is much, much worse when done remotely.
3. Work/Life balance is for people that can leave their office. I know this is a controversial take, but if you're trying to stay competitive in a remote work situation, you may have to give up the concept of trying to work at home and have some kind of traditional 9 to 5 mentality.
4. Be the best that you can be at your job. This is good advice for anyone, but it may be crucial to keep your employer on board with a remote office
Recent research out of Australia confirms what many of us have felt: working from home, when it’s optional, not forced, significantly boosts happiness and well-being. Over four years, scientists tracked employees’ mental, physical, and emotional health and consistently found gains in work-life balance, reduced stress, and better sleep among remote workers. Commuting time, inflexible schedules, and rigid office routines were shown to take a heavy toll; removing or reducing those burdens translated into measurable improvements in daily life.
Beyond better rest, remote work also enables healthier habits. With time saved from commuting, people were able to allocate more hours to family, leisure, cooking at home, and exercise. Interestingly, productivity did not suffer. In many cases, it improved, especially when employees had control over whether to work from home or not. The data suggests that autonomy and flexibility are key levers in improving both performance and personal well-being.
Of course, working from home isn’t without its trade-offs. Some workers feel isolated, miss spontaneous social interactions, and struggle with blurred boundaries between work and personal life. Still, the net effect is clear: for many, the benefits overwhelmingly outweigh the drawbacks. As companies shape post-pandemic work policies, these findings argue strongly for remote or hybrid models that prioritize employee choice, trust, and balance.
Source: Scientists confirm what workers already know: Working from home really does make you happier | Fortune https://share.google/zv3730ijLSYhzKtDe